A Sentimental Rose
by Measured
Summary: On the way home, Ike stops by a flower seller and makes an impulsive purchase.


Title: A Sentimental Rose

Series: FE9/10

Character/pairing: Ike/Soren

Rating: PG-13

Word count: 1617

Summary: On the way home, Ike stops by a flower seller and makes an impulsive purchase.

Author's note: Intsys said GAY RIGHTS. Thank you, 20biteen for delivering. Thanks to akaihoshi for looking this over.

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Ike headed back, the gold from his last job heavy in his pouch. There was a certain calmness and satisfaction in each completion, even if it was something as simple as finding a villager's pig that had gotten loose.

The scent of roses filled the air. The ribbons were a gaudy display. A girl in pink with flowers in her hair slowly walked down the cobblestone path, with a basket full of flowers in her arms. Stalls filled with sellers littered the square. Before them, ladies and men alike chatted. Some bartered, or idled the day away. A juggler with a crown of flowers and terribly flashy clothes stood just before the fountain.

"Get your Rose Festival Flowers! Surprise your true love with your Rose Festival Flowers! How about you, kind sir? A rose for your beloved? I promise I'll give the best deal in the entire land!"

She wasn't as imposing as Titania, but oh, how her voice could travel. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail and she wore the same flashy floral dress and crown that many of the festival goers did. He couldn't quite tell her accent. A red-headed foreigner? Maybe she was from Daein, or even Gallia.

Ike stared at the flowers in the basket. Several of the petals were bug bitten and brown, yet some still remained pristine. The seller quickly moved the damaged flowers aside, to hide away their imperfections.

"Excuse me, handsome sir, would you like a rose for your lady? Perfect way to show your undying love! They say if someone gives a rose on this night, their true feelings will shine through. Oh, and there's rose bracelets for you and your beloved. That way you and her will be tied together forever."

He knew that Soren would call it superstitious, a waste of money, and utterly frivolous. Still, Ike found himself lifting up one of the remaining full roses in his hand. Soren did so much for them, and while Ike paid him well, he'd never brought him cut flowers simply because he could.

He'd seen other couples do this so often during courting, yet his days with Soren were speaking of the ledger, and what work would come next.

"It's for my tactician," Ike said.

"Oh, well then I'm sure she will appreciate it!"

Ike doubted that, but he still reached for the gold. The flower seller got an eager, even hungry and crafty look at this, almost like she'd be cuddling the gold pieces later on. He'd never seen anyone who loved gold that much. Maybe it was common in another country, or maybe it was just her.

"How much did you say?"

**.**

"There you are! We're going to the festival. Dad's back! Quick, take that dusty old thing off and put this on!"

Mist had a crown of red flowers in her hair. Over her dress was a frilly blouse with flowers sewn in, a colorful new fringed apron, and a longer skirt of blue with pink dots near the lace edge. She spun then just because she could, just to enjoy the way her skirts twirled. Ike was glad to see her smiling.

"You'll get overheated in that," Ike said.

"And the people in all that armor won't?" Mist said.

"Maybe," Ike said. But at least it would keep them safe.

She eagerly held out a new coat of red with hanging gold fringe, and a slightly different tunic. It was pristine and with new sripes of red across the blue fabric.

"I knew you'd say no if I made it too different. Anything too fancy and you'll turn your nose up. But it's festival day! You should go have fun for once!"

"Thank you for thinking of me," Ike said.

"Heh, even you can be polite sometimes," Mist said.

Ike pulled off his shirt. He heard a gasp behind him.

"What?" Ike said. He looked back to see a very startled and red-cheeked Soren. But Ike could only think that was about something else, and couldn't imagine why he'd been flustered. Because he'd healed Ike, and cut off his bloodstained clothes to set a broken bone before the heal staff before. Maybe he'd accidentally seen a scary bug or something to make him look so-

Ike couldn't quite explain Soren's look, except he'd seen it on village girls as he passed before.

Ike pulled the new tunic on, and attached the coat like a cloak.

"You aren't even going to put your sleeves in?" Mist said.

"Maybe if it gets cold later," Ike said.

"Well, do what you want! See if I care. I'm going to go find Titania, anyways," Mist said.

She left in a huff, but Ike knew she'd be in sunny spirits again before long. Her moods never lasted, even when Boyd annoyed her.. And Soren, for that matter. Though that was more a case of Soren being exasperated at his very existence, and not because he stole some of the cookies Mist had been baking for the entire mercenary group.

Ike knew it had to be Mist's doing, because Soren was wearing colors for once. A green cloak, with fringe and large golden flower symbols. Sideways eights in green brocade covered his chest. His pants were shorter than usual, enough to reveal his slim and fragile ankles. Some kind of apron thing hung down with ornate gold flowers and blue fringe. Ike couldn't remember the name of that, though he was fairly certain that 'apron thing' was not the right one, and Soren would gladly correct him.

His dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail. While Mist might have gotten him into new clothes, she couldn't get him to wear a flower crown.

He looked breathtaking, like he'd stepped out of a fairy tale.

"You look like a prince on his wedding day," Ike said.

"Looks can be deceiving," Soren said. But he smiled, just a little.

The horse at his side nickered, and Soren held the reins tight.

"You're riding a horse in?"

"Oscar wanted me to help break in the new horse. I told him I knew nothing of horse riding, but all he said was 'would you prefer it be done by Boyd?'" Soren did not elaborate, but Ike could just imagine how that conversation would have gone.

"Mist has been making these clothes, all that time. Ever since she'd heard about it, she'd been picking out fabric. She even hand-stitched these on the chest. They symbolize forever."

Soren scoffed. "In Tellius, this festival is based upon the love of Lehran and Altina, though it has other meanings in other cultures. He disappeared and she remarried. Some forever that was."

Soren let out a little sigh. "I didn't mean to be rude. To you, at least."

Ike smiled. "I like your bluntness."

It wasn't the best time, but Ike pulled out a single red rose, and the two bracelets. He'd already tied about his wrist. Soren's eyes widened. It was almost like one of those showy noble ceremonies. Fealty and princes. But this was just Soren and him. He pushed that thought aside.

"Forever, and undying love...of course, it's just a superstition, but..." Soren trailed off.

"And I knew I'd get a response like that, but I wanted to give you it anyways. Besides, we make our own fate. What happened to Lehran and Altina has nothing to do with us."

He tied the ribbon about Soren's wrist. A slight smile curved at his lips. He buried his face in the petals and took a deep breath.

"Thank you, Ike. It's...ahem. Very kind of you to think of me."

"I'm always thinking of you. I can't think of a single person I'd rather have by my side forever."

Soren's usual harsh expression softened to something far more tender. But only for a moment, as he cleared his throat, his defenses up again.

"Mist wanted us to go as a 'family.' Of course, it's a waste of time and funds, but it is to be expected, I suppose."

"It's called 'having fun' Soren. Or, to put it blunter terms, it'll improve morale."

"Shinon and Gatrie have already had a bit too much 'morale.' They'll be sick all day tomorrow at the rate of 'morale' they're imbibing."

"Nothing new there."

He reached for his sword to give it a check before they left for town, but as he pulled it out, he found it decorated. Ike frowned. It was one thing to make him a new cloak and tunic, but another to wrap ribbons and stick flowers to his sword hilt.

"Am I supposed to make the enemy sneeze to death?"

"Her questionable taste aside, it'll be far less likely to arouse the guards' suspicion. And it's always good to be prepared."

"You're right. Maybe it will be useful. Let's head back to find Mist and Titania."

Ike held out his hand, and Soren tentatively took it. They matched, two roses, two eternities.

"Yes, we should get going. I suppose Titania will be ready by now."

"To forever?" Ike said.

"I was going to say 'to the food stall,'" Soren said dryly.

"That too," Ike said.

Soren tied the horse to a fence, with a command to Istay/i. And with that, they headed back towards the fort.

How nice it would be, to be by his side forever, Ike thought.


End file.
